Can opener



1,617,142 IH.E.ASBURY v CAN OPENER Feb. 8, 1927.

Filed May 16. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 65 rEZW wmf W Patented Feb.s,1927. v I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ASSIGNOR TO THE ENTER- OF PHILADELPHIA, PENN- cAN ornNnn.

Application filed May 16, 1925. Serial No. 30,721.

My invention relates to certain improvements in can openers of the type having a feed wheel and a pivoted cutting .blade.

One object of the invention is to improve the construction of a can opener of the above mentioned type by providing it with a handle and to design the cutting blade so that it can be held in contact with the can by the thumb of the hand holding the opener.

A further object of the invention is to design the can opener so that itwill act as a handle for the can after the top is removed so that the contents can be poured from the can, or the can moved, as desired.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the cutting blade can be automatically brought into cutting position, on turning the feed wheel.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side view of the improved can opener;

Fig. 2 is a plan view;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the can opener with the cutting blade in cutting position;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 4-4, Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view illustrating a can with the top removed and the can opener acting as a handle for the can;

Fig. 6 is a side view showing the cutting blade geared to the shaft of the traction whael, the blade being in'the raised position;

7 is a rear view of the opener show ing t e blade in the cutting position and its gear segment out of mesh with the gear on the shaft of the traction wheel.

The frame 1 of the can opener is made of sheet metal, which is cut and shaped as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The handle 2 is shaped so that it can be readily grasped by the hand of a person opening a can. The traction wheel 3 is toothed and forms an integral portion of a shaft 4, which has its hearings in the frame 1, and is provided at the back ofthe frame with a handle 5 by which the traction wheel is turned.

Bent from the frame 1 are upper guides 6 and 7. Directly below the traction wheel is a guide 8, which rests against the side of a can, as illustrated in Fig. 4, causing the frame to assume the proper angle when cutting, and insuring the contact of the traction wheel with the under side of the rim b of moved into the can a. The guides 6 and 7 rest onv the upper edge of the can, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

Pivoted to the frame 1 is a cutting blade 9, which has a shearing edge 10, and provided with a point 11, which punctures a can prior to the cutting thereof by the shearing edge 10 of the blade. The blade 9 has an extended portion 18, which forms a handle. On this portion is a lateral projection 12, which forms a thumb rest.

The forward guide 6 acts as a stop for the blade, when the blade is in the cuttin position, as shown in Fig. 3. The cutting blade is mounted on apivot through an embossed portion 14 of the frame 1. The face of the embossed portion is at a slight angle in respect to the lane of the traction wheel. Theobject of t is construction is to retain the traction wheel in engagement with the flange of the can.

On referring to Fig. 5, it will be noticed that the rim of the can is held between the traction wheel and the blade so that, after the top has been removed by cutting, the

' can opener can be used as a handle in order thahthecontents of the can can be readily poured.

The can opener can be easily detached from a can by raising the blade to the position shown in Fig. 1, clear of the rim of the can. r I

In Figs. 6 and 7 means is shown for automatically moving the blade into puncturing position during the primary movement of the traction wheel. I

On the shaft 4 of the traction wheel 3 is a gear wheel 15, which has teeth that mesh with wheel 17, which is secured to the pivot 13 of the cutting blade 9. segmental gear move out of mesh with the teeth of the gear wheel when the blade is moved to the cutting position. On reversing the shaft, and slightly raising the blade, the gear teeth of the segmental gear are mesh with the teeth of the gear wheel and the blade is raised clear of the rim of a can.

I claim:

1. The combination in a can opener, of a 13, which extends the teeth 16 of a segmental gear The teeth of the frame; a traction wheel mounted on the frame and arranged to engage the underside of the rim of a can; and a cutting blade pivoted to the frame and arranged to cut the end out of a can, the blade having a point. and cutting edge, said frame having a handle by which the opener'is held as the can is rotated, the blade and the traction wheel holding the can at the rim so that the handled opener can be used as a handle for the can until it is released by raising the blade.

2. The combination in a can opener, of a frame having a handle; a traction wheel mounted on the frame and arranged to engage the rim-of a can to be opened; a blade pivotally mounted on the frame, said blade having a point, a shearing portion and an extension forming a thumb rest; and lateral guides for the frame, one of said guides acting as a stop to limit the movement of the blade when in the shearing position. v

3. The combination in' a can opener, of a frame made of sheet metal and having a extendedv handle; two upper laterally guides formed integral with the frame and arranged to' rest upon the rim of-a can to 'be cut; a lower integral guide arranged to rest against the side of the can; a traction wheel mounted on the frame and designed.

to engage .the lower edge of the rim of a can; and a cutting blade pivoted to the frame above the traction wheel,.said blade having a point, a shearing edge and an extension, said extension being arranged to. come in contact with one of the upper guides to limit the movement of the blade.

4. The'combination in a can opener, of a frame made of sheet metal and having a handle; two upper, laterally extended guldes formed integral with the frame and arranged to rest upon the rim of a can to be cut; a lower, integral guide arranged to rest against .the side of a can; a traction wheel 'mounted on the frame and designed to engage the lower edge of the rim of a can; a cutting blade'pivoted to the frame above the traction wheel, said blade having a point, a shearing edge and an extension, said extension being arranged to come in contact with one of the 11 per guides to limit the movement of the blade; and gearing by whichthe blade is brought into contact with a can during the first movement of the traction wheel, the gearing being so formed that, when a can is being cut, the blade is disconnected from the traction wheel.

' HARRY E. ASBURY. 

